ALPINE, Texas – A strong team effort in the second half led to the go-ahead score in the 86^th minute as the East Texas Baptist University men's soccer team held off Sul Ross State University, 2-1. ETBU went 2-0 on the weekend and is now 4-9-2 and 3-5-1 in the American Southwest Conference.
 
ETBU's offense was running on all cylinders firing off 12 shots with six on goal. Isaiah Simien was the team leader with three shots on goal while Maison Callicut, Matthew Dieb, and Bruno Palmieri each had one shot on goal. ETBU's defense held SRSU to five shots on goal as Gunner Barry stopped four.
 
The beginning of the game started with a save by Barry in the second minute after SRSU came out with an aggressive offense. Palmeiri then had a shot on goal in the eighth minute and then Gunner stopped another SRSU shot in the 17^th minute. Dieb gave ETBU the 1-0 lead in the 27^th minute on assist from Justus Crow. Neither team had a shot on goal after that as ETBU went up by one at the half.
 
Barry came up big, again, for ETBU in the 49^th minute keeping it at 1-0 on his third save of the game. It was not until the 70^th minute that SRSU slipped one by Barry to tie the game at one. SRSU tried for the lead in the 74^th minute only to be denied by Barry. Simien had a shot in the 82^nd minute that was stopped but three minutes later he gave ETBU the game winning goal on an assist from Brady Box.
 
ETBU will be home on Monday night vs. Centenary at 7:30 p.m. in their final home match of the year at Cornish Field.